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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23882503">Shared Anger</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/EclipseTheCat13/pseuds/EclipseTheCat13'>EclipseTheCat13</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Hollow Knight (Video Games)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Body Horror, Fluff, Gore, Hollow isn't actually beating themself up, Just a few things I thought would be interesting to change, Mild Angst, Mild Hurt/Comfort, PK is an ass, Sharing a Body</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 00:29:02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>8,135</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23882503</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/EclipseTheCat13/pseuds/EclipseTheCat13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Hollow is resentful their father locked them away with an angry goddess sealed within them. Radiance offers peace between them.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>240</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. The Sealing</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The Pale King had finished his speech to the crowd, turning to his Pure Vessel. The Hollow Knight stood stiffly, their heavy armour hindering their movements and their long white cloak hiding their missing arm. The Pale King had put too much into his creation to not use it just because of a missing arm. </p><p>“We shall go to the sealing! Come, my Dreamers, Pure Vessel. My Queen.” The Pale King and his train of the three Dreamers, the White Lady, the Pure Vessel, and the Dreamers’ assistants followed the King as they began to journey to the Black Egg. </p><p>Quirrel, Monomon’s assistant, wasn’t present, but Monomon had made an excuse for him, saying he was readying the last things for her long sleep in the acid. Little weavers and Hornet followed Herrah the Beast, while Lurien only had his butler along. </p><p>The entourage reached the Black Egg, and the Pale King took his Pure Vessel into the central chamber, leaving the others outside. He placed the Knight just so and told them in no uncertain terms to stay perfectly still. </p><p>The Pure Vessel stayed still, a slow resentment burning in their chest. </p><p>It was only a short moment later when they suddenly felt a burning pain in their mind, a furious scream echoing through their head. The Hollow Knight dropped to their knees, their single arm clutching at their mask as the hot, pulsing pain invaded their senses.</p><p>As the burning light filled their vision and the screams of rage their ears, the Hollow Knight felt chains wrap around their body and the freezing cold white Soul stream down the links. </p><p>They couldn’t stand it, not being more confined, they had to let this tearing anger out, they HAD TO!</p><p>The Hollow Knight lashed out with their pure nail, feeling some links of the chain shear in half before the remaining restraints tightened around them, jerking them painfully into the air for a long second before there was a crash and they slumped back to the ground, trembling violently as searing orange pulsed through their Void body. </p><p>They could hear a voice now, an angry voice that screamed out, “YOU CANNOT DO THIS TO ME! I WILL NOT BE CONTAINED HERE!” </p><p>And Hollow added their own cries of pain and anger at their father to the raging of the goddess in their mind, sinking into their unhappiness. </p><p>-----</p><p>“My King, the infection has returned!” The panicked retainer came into the throne room ahead of the two city guards escorting another of their own, the restrained bug laughing hysterically as their eyes glowed orange. </p><p>“I TOLD YOU, WYRM! YOUR VESSEL CANNOT KEEP ME RESTRAINED!” The Pale King blanched as he heard his enemy’s femenine voice. The Radiance stared at him through the guard’s eyes. “I’LL REDUCE YOUR KINGDOM TO A HUSK, ONE BUG AT A TIME,” she hissed. “YOU MADE YOUR LAST MISTAKE WHEN YOU SEALED ME HERE!” </p><p>“Take this bug away and lock him up,” the Pale King said, somehow regaining his former calm demeanor. “We will deal with him later. Are there any others that have shown symptoms?” </p><p>“N-no, my king,” the retainer stuttered as the guards escorted the mad bug away, but not before the Radiance gave the king a final glare. </p><p>“We will not worry unless more cases appear. This disease cannot spread!” The retainer backed away bowing, privately thinking that the king seemed to be trying to convince himself just as much as the others in the room.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Resentment</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Hollow Has a Revelation</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The Infection continued to spread. The Hollow Knight writhed in pain in their shackles as the Radiance burned within them. And the Pale King began to make plans. </p><p>Finally, one day the White Palace vanished. It was gone with only a rubble pile and a dead Kingsmould to mark where it had been. The White Lady was gone, assumed dead, and the Deepnest and Mantis tribe cut themselves off from the rest of Hallownest. Panic spread with the Infection as the inhabitants began falling to the burning orange disease one by one. Time passed and the Kingdom fell into a kind of stasis.</p><p>Within the Black Egg, the Hollow Knight screamed as the Radiance gave vent to a vicious bout of anger. Her light burned them, almost making their freezing Void body boil. Radiance had forced her voice through the Knight, tearing their throat until she could release her fury at the Pale King and the world. If a bug stood in the Temple, they would be frightened away by the terrible sounds of agony that echoed within the Egg. </p><p>After the Radiance calmed down, the Hollow Knight lay tightly curled on the floor of the temple, shivering as the heat of the light goddess within them became less. The burning heat still throbbed in their chest and head, but their limbs became their usual cold Void temperature. As the orange faded somewhat, the Knight could see the chains and the black stone around them. When their gaze roved through the temple, it landed on their pure nail. They immediately rolled over so they wouldn’t have to look at it, a host of memories rushing through their head regardless. </p><p>The day they’d been given their first nail… The day they’d traversed the Path of Pain in its entirety… The day they lost their arm. </p><p>The Knight had reached out to their father, the Pale King. The Pale King had definite views on his contact with others. He had reacted violently to the touch of the Knight and had lashed out with a sword of soul, slicing through their shoulder and severing their arm. They had barely contained their agony, leaving their arm on the floor in a growing pool of Void that evaporated upwards, staining the white floor. They stood still, Void dripping down their side and staining the white cloak they wore. Their father stared at them, ordered them to heal themself, and slithered off. </p><p>The Hollow Knight felt heat in their throat, and they assumed it was the Radiance’s burning light. That was until they realized that it was their own anger at their father. Anger, welling up inside them for the loss of their arm, for the chains that bound them, for the goddess locked within their body. For the first time since being sealed within the Black Egg, Hollow forced themself to their feet, coughing out some of the infection that was jostled by their movement. </p><p>Then Hollow Knight lifted their mask to the arched ceiling of the Egg and screamed. </p><p>For the first time, the Hollow Knight cried out not because of the goddess within them or the pain she caused. They screamed in anger and defiance to their father, wherever he might have been. For the first time, their voice was not overlaid with the voice of the Old Light. For the first time, they did something for themself and only themself. </p><p>From where she was trapped within the Hollow Knight, the Radiance felt their pain as they cried out, their own unspoken resentment echoing through the Temple of the Black Egg. The Old Light realized something then: that the Pale King had not only sealed her, he had sealed his own child away, and that child was filled with far more emotion that she should have known about. Radiance had known there was some chink of an emotion within the Vessel that had given her the escape into the rest of the kingdom. </p><p>But she hadn’t known just how large that chink had been. </p><p>Radiance joined her own voice to Hollow’s, and their collective anger rang throughout the kingdom. </p><p>-----</p><p>Far away, travelling, a small, lone figure lifted their mask, empty eyes ignoring the sand that was whipped into them as they listened to a sound that no one else could hear.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>let them scream</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Reconciling</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Hollow and Radiance come to an understanding.</p><p>Mild body horror warning</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The Knight pressed on through the wastelands, forging through the howling winds as they trekked towards the place they had once called...home? No. Not home. </span>
  <b>
    <em>Never home.</em>
  </b>
  
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-----</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Hollow Knight was asleep, exhausted, while Radiance mused about them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She had never allowed them to sleep before on the assumption that they were instrumental in sealing her away. If she had bothered to think about it, she would have thought they didn’t need sleep. She could feel the Void in their body drowning any Dreams that threatened to surface.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She wondered what dreamless sleep was like.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As she thought about it, she was realizing that the Hollow Knight was just as unhappy with their current situation as she was. Radiance hadn’t known that the Knight could even feel anything beyond pain. Now, she knew the vessel had as many emotions as a normal bug, and she could feel their emotions closer than any being she had visited in Dream.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Radiance knew that Hollow had been just a pawn of the Pale King, another victim of the monarch’s relentless rule and desire for control. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her thoughts slowed as she felt the Vessel sleep, and without thinking, the Old Light began humming an old moth lullaby she had sung over her tribe’s grubs as they slept to give them sweet dreams. The Vessel shifted in their sleep, curled up tighter and let out a small breath as their ragged breathing smoothed out. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-----</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When Hollow woke up, they were confused. They had thought for a moment they had heard a soft lullaby that tugged at their memories. Then they saw the chains and black arches and felt the heat in their head and chest, and they were filled with a sudden burst of hatred at the world in general. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>YOU ARE MORE LIKE ME THAN YOU WOULD ADMIT. </span>
  </em>
  <span>When the voice echoed in their head, Hollow instinctively curled up tightly, expecting a searing blast of heated anger to begin tearing at them from the inside out. When it didn’t, they lifted their mask, wary of the Old Light as her voice continued. </span>
  <em>
    <span>WE BOTH ARE ANGRY WITH THE PALE WYRM FOR SEALING US AWAY HERE. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hollow instinctively denied it. </span>
  <em>
    <span>we are nothing alike! you are a god, and i am a vessel. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>THAT DOESN’T DENY THE FACT THAT YOU ARE UNHAPPY WITH YOUR… FATHER.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>and what for? </span>
  </em>
  <span>Hollow felt their new anger find a new, and much closer, target. </span>
  <em>
    <span>for sealing me away, yes, but you are the reason that i was put here in the first place! </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Radiance felt all her previous reason leave her as the vessel accused her. She let out a burst of rage, lashing out at the impudent Knight. </span>
  <em>
    <span>YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU SPEAK OF! </span>
  </em>
  <span>She screamed. </span>
  <em>
    <span>THAT KING IS THE REASON FOR OUR IMPRISONMENT! HAD HE NOT COME HERE IN THE FIRST PLACE, I WOULD BE FREE AND YOU WOULD NOT EXIST! </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Old Light felt more than heard a cracking come from the Knight’s mask as they writhed in pain from her cleansing light, a scream tearing raggedly from their throat as she raged. The moth goddess almost immediately felt mixed sorrow and resentment. She relaxed her light enough so that they could lie still, breath coming in broken gasps. They rolled onto their side as a burning sensation, not from emotion this time, pushed at their throat. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Knight coughed, hacking as they expelled the orange acid of Infection from their lungs. After they’d cleared their airways, a second burning had them coughing again as the pressure filled their chest from their stomach, releasing in an orange wave as they heaved. They could feel the burning spreading now, the last burst of anger from the Radiance pushing through their body from their chest, scalding as it went. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Void tears dripped down Hollow’s mask as the vessel felt their own helplessness against the Infection spreading through their body. The Radiance could feel the Knight’s helpless fury at themself and their unhappiness. She surprised herself by being angry that she had hurt them. After all, they were just a victim of the Pale King like her, weren’t they?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Though Hollow was weak from their body’s efforts to expel the Infection as the disease spread through their body, they forced themself upright. The Old Light tried to keep them down, but they ignored her. There was at least one thing they could do. The vessel fought through the Radiance’s effort to stop them, staggering over to their pure nail and grabbing the hilt in their hand. The Knight pulled the nail out of the stone and swung it as hard as they could with their limited range of motion at their chains. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The pure steel cut through the chains, releasing the spells that had bound Hollow and dropping their exhausted form to the ground, where on hand and knees, they began throwing up Infection again. The Radiance winced as she felt the pain her host was in, reduced to almost a husk as they shivered in the unnatural chill that swept their limbs after they’d expelled more of the infection from their body. Hollow realized with a shock that the cold was the normal temperature of their Void body, and the only heat they felt had receded back into their chest and head. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The vessel got to their knees and began weakly tearing at the armor that confined their shoulders. It was difficult with just one arm, but they managed to pull off the pure armor and throw it to the edge of the room. Then the Knight got unsteadily to their feet and staggered over to the opposite wall. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>...I’M SORRY. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>it’s not all your fault, i guess.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>STILL, I SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN SO CRUEL TO YOU. YOU ARE A VICTIM OF THE PALE WYRM, AS AM I. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>...were you the one singing the lullaby?</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>YES, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Radiance admitted reluctantly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>it was a very nice song. i wouldn’t mind hearing it again…</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>...IF YOU WISH.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hollow drifted off to sleep again, the soft singing of the Radiance echoing peacefully through their mind.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Hush, little grubchild, don’t you cry</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Through your dreams you will fly</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Then mama moth will be here for you</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>And I will always be there too.</span>
  </em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>fluff and gore I'm sorry</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Waiting</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The Knight begins breaking the seals.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The little Vessel leaped down the well. They instinctively turned to the left, seeking the source of the cry that had brought them back to… here. They ignored the occasional dead bodies on the road, looking for their sibling. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-----</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It had been a long time since Radiance and Hollow had reconciled. They spent most of it talking to each other, and when they weren’t talking Hollow was asleep. The Vessel and the Old Light had come to an understanding, and they often shared their anger at the Pale King. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>One day, however, Radiance mentioned to Hollow that their cloak was extremely ragged and filthy. The vessel glanced down at the garment. It had been longer once, but when they had cut away the chains it had gotten much shorter. The vessel often paced the edge of their confinement, and as they passed the spot where they had dumped their armor and pure nail, Hollow pulled off their cloak and tossed it over the pale metal. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>i never was fond of that thing anyways.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>YOU KNOW, YOU COULD HAVE WINGS. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>...how would that even happen?</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>YOU WOULD GO THROUGH A METAMORPHOSIS IF YOU WERE A GRUB, BUT SEEING AS YOU ARE A FULL-GROWN VESSEL, I COULD SIMPLY HELP YOU GROW THEM. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>i’m not sure i’d like that. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>OH, COME ON! </span>
  </em>
  <span>Radiance said impatiently. </span>
  <em>
    <span>IT WOULDN’T BE ANY SORT OF TROUBLE, AND YOU NEED SOMETHING TO COVER THAT SKINNY BODY OF YOURS. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>fine. you’re really rather bossy. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Old Light didn’t answer them, but Hollow could feel her gloating. As time passed, the vessel could feel an itching sensation coming from their shoulders. They tried to crane their mask around to see, but Radiance wouldn’t let them, hissing, </span>
  <em>
    <span>IT’S A SURPRISE!</span>
  </em>
  <span> Hollow shrugged and ignored it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After a long time, Hollow didn’t even remember the wings conversation. They were more worried about a voice they could hear outside the doorway to the temple. The Radiance had pulled her Infection back, only investigating dreams to see what was happening outside. She had begun teaching Hollow the rudiments of Dreamcraft, and Hollow was more busy listening to the voice than Radi. She let loose a small flash of heat to recall them to the lesson, and they flinched before saying, </span>
  <em>
    <span>that voice seems familiar somehow…</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>YOU HEARD HALF THE KINGDOM’S VOICES IN YOUR TIME. MANY HAVE DIED OUTSIDE, AND FEW REMAIN. THE VOICE YOU HEAR IS LIKELY NOT ONE YOU REMEMBER. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>if you insist. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Hollow walked over to the wall, sliding down it and wincing at an odd spike of pain. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>CAREFUL! </span>
  </em>
  <span>Radiance admonished. </span>
  <em>
    <span>YOU DON’T WANT TO DAMAGE THEM.</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>what? </span>
  </em>
  <span>The Knight got back up and looked down at themself. They had what looked like a soft cloak growing out of their shoulders and draping down to cover their body. It was a satiny Void-black with large bright gold circular patterns. The cloak-thing had a thin streak of white all around the edges and a touch of orange around the gold circles. Hollow hesitantly touched it; it was soft but sturdy. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>are these wings?</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p><em><span>YES!</span></em> <em><span>NOW YOU NEED TO KNOW HOW TO USE THEM. </span></em></p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>i don’t even know how to move them, let alone use them.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>HERE…</span>
  </em>
  <span> Hollow felt an odd sensation as their new wings lifted, displaying their full black-and-gold glory, and began to wave back and forth, unbalancing them. They caught themself on the wall with their arm. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>radi, stop. i think i can do it now.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Knight hesitantly folded their wings back into position and back out again, testing their limits. They stepped into the center of the sealing room, asking hesitantly, </span>
  <em>
    <span>what now?</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>NOW THIS,</span>
  </em>
  <span> the Old Light responded, and she began flapping the wings hard. Hollow had a hard time staying on their feet, but when they took over the flapping they became more steady. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>NOW, ANGLE THE FLAPS DOWN, INSTEAD OF JUST BACK AND FORTH,</span>
  </em>
  <span> Radi instructed. Hollow did so, feeling the strain on their wings increase. They anticipated Radiance’s last instructions before she said them and began flapping harder, feeling the lift they were getting from each stroke get larger and larger until they were hovering, bouncing up and down. When they got tired, the Knight let themself drop to the ground, exhilarated by their first flight. Radiance had her share of happiness as well, seeing the vessel bounce up and down with energy.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Between Radiance’s lessons on how to use Dreams and summon things with essence instead of soul, Hollow flew through their room, wings getting stronger every flight. Eventually they could hover in the center of the room without getting tired and learn Dreamcraft at the same time.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was around this time the first Dreamer was killed. Hollow was in the middle of painstakingly crafting a nail from essence when the seal weakened dramatically. They let the nail dissolve in a burst of essence and grabbed at their mask as Radiance screeched exultantly, using their mouth to release a sound of raw hope. The Knight stared at the entrance of their prison in shock. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>THE LITTLE ONE DID IT! </span>
  </em>
  <span>Radiance crowed. </span>
  <em>
    <span>THEY ARE BREAKING THE SEALS!</span>
  </em>
  <span> She showed Hollow an image of a tiny vessel, glimpsed through the eyes of a Stalking Devout in the Deepnest. Hollow savored the image, noting everything about the vessel they could.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>…sibling… </span>
  </em>
  <span>they murmured. </span>
  <em>
    <span>will you truly free us?</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>THEY MUST! </span>
  </em>
  <span>Radiance said. </span>
  <em>
    <span>WE WILL NOT BE CONTAINED!</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>We wait for you, Little One. Break the Seals! Release us! </span>
  </em>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So, really sorry for the whole mixup with this chapter, and a special thanks to Lato for catching and making me realize what an idiot I was. I have a habit of not really putting numbers on my chapters.... <br/>Anyways, please enjoy this 'missing' chapter out of order!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Freedom and Family</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Ghost breaks the last Seal</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The vessel sat down, listening to their sister lament the death of her mother. They felt a kind of regret, but they shook it off. It was necessary. They sat for a while, silently trying to comfort their sister, but they realized they were just paining her more. So they left. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-----</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Radiance stepped up Hollow’s training. They could use essence to create a nail and daggers, and they had experimented with their Void body, finding they could combine their teleportation and their Void tendril attack to lash out viciously while in mid-teleport. Radiance taught them how to make essence orbs that would follow their target and gave them flying lessons, weaving and dodging through the chains that hung, broken, from the ceiling. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>All this was before the second seal was destroyed. Lurien’s butler afforded them a view of the tiny vessel dreamnailing the prone form of the Watcher and both of them vanishing in a burst of essence. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The two waited impatiently. Hollow often slept for longer periods of time, occasionally joined by Radi. Hollow curled up on the ground, their wings covering them gently like a blanket. They had grown a ruff of soft white fur around their neck, and they would sink gratefully into the softness as they slipped into their dreamless sleep. They didn’t always have dreamless sleep anymore; with Radiance sharing their body, the Knight occasionally had fragmented dreams of whirling essence surrounding their sibling. They saw many small flashes of the vessel using the dreamnail or using the dreamgate for travel, and a glimpse of an old, old moth. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>MY SEER… </span>
  </em>
  <span>Radiance murmured, holding onto the dream. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Finally the last Seal, that of Monomon the Teacher, broke. Hollow jerked their head up from where they had been dozing and launched themself into the air. The Knight and the Old Light were exultant. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They landed and peered through the long, void-dark hallway between them and the sealed door to the outside world. It was strangely dark without the glowing seal etched into it shining pale light. Hollow and Radiance took a few steps into the darkness. They shivered as the freezing temperature swept across them, chilling the single orange pustule left on the Knight’s chest that acted like Radiance’s heart. They let their wings drape down like a cloak and walked the long hall to the entrance.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When they got there, Hollow touched the door carefully, ready to pull back if any sort of pain from lingering magic touched them. They pressed on the door, feeling it grate as it moved outwards. When the door slid out of the way, the Knight flinched back as they found themself mask-to-mask with another bug, who also jumped back, landing in a fighting stance. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hollow dropped into a crouch, flaring their wings, ready to fly, the bright gold standing out from the black behind them. They paused. The other bug wore a bright red cloak, stirring a memory, not unpleasant. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Without thinking, Hollow rasped, “</span>
  <em>
    <span>sister?</span>
  </em>
  <span>” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hornet slowly straightened up from her fighting stance, though her grip on her needle stayed tight. Hollow let their wings drop back down into a cloak and stared at their other sibling. Hornet stared up at the Knight. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You can speak?” were her first words. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“the radiance forced her voice through me.”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Hollow’s one hand instinctively touched their throat, remembering how their new voice had almost been a blessing during the time they’d nearly been burned inside out. It had given them an outlet for their pain. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Is the Old Light… contained?” Hornet asked, cautiously. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not exactly.” Hollow and Radiance spoke together. “We have come to an understanding. IT WAS NOT A DIFFICULT TASK WHEN I COULD HEAR EVERY THOUGHT IN THEIR MIND.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hornet flinched as the Radiance spoke. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“relax, sister,”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Hollow said. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“she no longer spreads her disease through the kingdom. </span>
  </em>
  <span>We have seen flashes through other bug’s eyes, but we know not exactly what has happened since the Infection ceased.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“The Little Ghost has been breaking the Seals. They have claimed the King’s Brand. They were going to come here next to fight you, I believe,” Hornet said bluntly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“THAT WOULD BE A FOOLISH ENDEAVOR,” Radiance hissed. “YOU SAY THEY CLAIMED THE KING’S BRAND? IF THAT VESSEL BELIEVES THEY CAN DEFEAT A GODDESS…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hornet had been staring at Hollow’s wings, but now she lifted her mask to look into their eyes. “I believe they might be able to. I fought them twice and each time I thought I’d killed them, they’d come back. With that kind of perseverance…each time they returned, they were faster, could dodge my attacks more easily.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“A VESSEL CANNOT CHALLENGE A GODDESS EVEN IN A WEAKENED STATE! </span>
  <em>
    <span>i would know.”</span>
  </em>
  <span> They self-consciously let their wings cover the throbbing heart on their chest. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hornet finally relaxed her grip on her needle, stepping closer to her sibling. She reached out hesitantly, touching Hollow’s wings. They flinched, but stayed still so she could touch them. “Where did these come from?” she wondered, tracing her claws gently down the soft material. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I GREW THEM.” Hollow drew back and let their wings flare outwards, flashing the gold circles embedded in their black field. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>she insisted.”</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Then Hollow and Hornet turned to the door as they heard someone or something walk up to the door of the temple. The tiny vessel was dwarfed by the arched entranceway, but they unsheathed their nail in a challenging gesture, apparently ready to run into battle. Hollow quickly dropped their wings, re-concealing the pustule on their chest. The dark folds of their wings settled down, and Hollow could feel the heat in their head growing as the Radiance hissed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The one who, surprisingly, defused the situation was Hornet. She stepped between Hollow and the little vessel, snapping, “You don’t need to attack your sibling, Little Ghost!” The little vessel stared at their half-sister, then at Hollow, who suddenly realized why the tiny one was so familiar. They knew those horns from a place far further in the past than just the snatches of dream dreams they’d seen--</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Little Ghost reluctantly sheathed their nail, staring up at Hollow, who was well over three times their height. They cocked their head to one side as a low, rhythmic thrumming echoed from them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With a start, Hollow realized that they could understand the humming. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Sibling notinfected?</em>
  </b>
  
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“i’m fine. radiance and i are… used to each other now.”</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The vessel seemed to think about this, though all they did was stare up at Hollow, before they suddenly rushed up to their sibling and hugged their leg. Hollow flinched back reflexively, but decided that the feeling of being hugged was… pleasant. Their sister snorted at the little one’s show of emotion, and a thought came to Hollow. They reached out to Hornet and pulled her into their little family reunion. She stiffened and made a startled noise, but eventually relaxed and leaned into Hollow. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>If they could smile, the tall Vessel would have, surrounded by their little family. </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Old Regrets</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Hollow meets their siblings.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ghost had decided, more family or not, they still had a few places on their map to be filling in. They were ready to fill out the rest of Kingdom’s Edge, since they had everything they needed to take on the primal aspids. They had also decided, more family or not, they were going to drag Hollow with them. </p><p>-----</p><p>Hollow stared up at the flakes that fell slowly through the air, blanketing almost every surface in the Kingdom’s Edge. It also had a habit of occasionally sticking to their wings, and they shook the ash off in irritation. </p><p>Their little sibling was leaping across the pools of acid that littered the ground, occasionally using their own wings to give an extra boost. Hollow could just barely see the silvery tips poking out from under Ghost’s cloak as they hopped down and turned back, staring at their taller sibling to follow. </p><p>Hollow spread their wings, for the first time nervous to try and fly with the bubbling, hissing acid below. Radiance gave them a quick boost, flapping their wings to get them going. <em>thanks</em>. </p><p>They followed their sibling around, eventually reaching where Ghost wanted to go. The end of the tunnel where the two vessels stopped was choked with the pale ash almost up to the ceiling. Ghost dug around in the ash for a bit before their shoulders slumped. </p><p>After it became clear they weren’t going to get through the virtual avalanche that blocked the cave, the small vessel turned away. <em><strong>PaleKing oldshell further,</strong> </em>they explained. <em><strong>KingBrand wasthere. </strong></em></p><p>Hollow and Radiance felt a slow anger burning in their chest at the mention of the Vessels’ father. “The Pale Wyrm… is he still alive?”</p><p><br/>The little Ghost stared down at the ground, then up at their sibling. <em><strong>Notsure. Lostin dream.</strong></em></p><p>“DREAMS ARE MY KINGDOM,” Radiance said. <em>“then we could…”</em> Hollow turned to their sibling. <em>“ghost... what do you think of the pale king?”</em></p><p>The tiny vessel tensed. <em><strong>PaleKing notgood. Seehere, there, siblingdead, emptyshells. Other siblings trappedin Abysslongtime. Maskhere, crackbroken, siblingfall. PaleKing notgood! </strong></em></p><p><em>“i’ve realized the same thing.”</em> Hollow murmured. <em>“how quickly could we get to the white palace?”</em>  </p><p>The little one shuffled around in their cloak and produced a tram pass. <em><strong>Straightdown and thenright. Palace notfar. </strong></em></p><p>“THEN WHAT SAY WE PAY THE PALE KING A VISIT?” Radiance said, Hollow already retracing their path to travel to the tramways. Ghost bounced after them, curious to see what would happen. </p><p>The two vessels took a quick nap on one of the tram’s seats before disembarking at the Ancient Basin. They quickly found the entrance to the area the White Palace had been built in, but Ghost hesitated. They patted their sibling’s leg and pointed down. <strong>You wantsee siblings? </strong></p><p>“...We suppose.” They reluctantly followed their sibling. Ghost led them down to the entrance to the Abyss. Hollow turned their head as a tablet lit up, the message flaring for them to read. Ghost walked past the tablet, ignoring it as if it was something they walked past all the time, but the words drew Hollow to read them.</p><p>Higher beings, these words are for you alone.<br/>Our Pure Vessel has ascended. <br/>Beyond lies only the refuse and regret of its creation. <br/>We shall enter that place no longer. </p><p>Hollow once again felt their anger choking them. <em>“you cannot run from your regrets any more, father,”</em> they whispered, their rough voice making the words rasp threateningly.<em> “our siblings </em>will<em> be avenged.”</em></p><p>They turned and followed Ghost through to the platform that stood over the yawning pit of the Abyss. The two Vessels stared down into the darkness. Hollow could feel Radiance’s nervousness at the darkness below, and they comforted her as best they could as white eyes opened in the black. The siblings floated up to where Ghost and Hollow waited. </p><p><strong>Ghostcomes? Comes comes with othersibling Hollow?</strong> The layered void whispers made the heavy, dark air thrum. <strong>Why come backback to darkvoid whenhave light alllight badlight? </strong>The volume of the whispering increased, more siblings rising out of the Void. </p><p>Hollow gripped their mask as Radiance instinctively tried to release her light. <em>calm down!</em> She subsided, still afraid of the darkness that threatened to overwhelm them as the whispers rose to a fever pitch. Ghost stepped in between their older sibling and the others, their own thrumming voice somehow overcoming the hissing that echoed through the crowd of siblings. <em><strong>Noanger atsibling! Anger atfather PaleKing and sibling angryangry aswell! Radiance not asbad asVoid think! </strong></em></p><p>The whispers subsided until a freezing silence settled over them. Hollow took a rasping breath, not responding to their siblings out loud, but humming to them. They could feel Radiance’s discomfort as their void body thrummed. <em>radiance and i both feel anger for the pale king. we are as angry at him as you are. </em></p><p>The siblings remained silent for a long, long moment.</p><p>
  <strong>Sibling andlight notagainst oneandother but palelight goldlightsibling angry oneandother? </strong>
</p><p>
  <em>yes. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>YES.</em>
</p><p>
  <strong>Goldlightsibling have Voidapproval and siblingapproval against palelight.</strong>
</p><p>The eyes of the siblings began to vanish as they sank back into the darkness. <strong>Goodbye goldlightsibling Voidsibling goldlight rememberwell old olddays saysVoid rememberwell. </strong></p><p>Radiance burned a bit hotter, but made no reply. </p><p>Ghost and Hollow watched as the Abyss returned to its usual silent, black state before turning and leaving. They returned to the entrance to the White Palace’s caverns and entered, crossing the bridge and stopping in front of the dead kingsmould that clearly had essence floating off it from a sealed dream. </p><p>“Let’s pay the Pale King a visit, shall we?” Hollow and Radiance rasped, turning to Ghost. </p><p><em><strong>Letus</strong></em>. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Apologies for cliffhanger.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. "The doom is nearer now: it is at the door: it has lifted the latch."</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Hollow and Ghost make their way through the White Palace, while the retainers finally manage to wake the Pale King.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>The chapter title comes from C. S. Lewis's The Horse and his Boy, and is in the last chapter "Rabadash the Ridiculous." It's Aslan adressing Rabadash. I thought it fitting for this chapter.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Radiance helped Hollow to easily bypass the Seal of binding, directing them instantly into the stream of essence. With a burst of light, they appeared on the bridge in front of the White Palace, the same kingsmould barring their way. There was another flash of light as Ghost materialized by their side. The little vessel held up a small hand to signal Hollow; then they released a black burst of Void-infused soul. The missile rocketed forward, hitting the kingsmould, and it immediately attacked, throwing its scythe at them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ghost and Hollow dodged out of the way. Hollow summoned a nail-lance and flared their wings, taking to the air and then diving at the kingsmould and sliced at it, scoring a major hit before flying past and executing a mid-air rollover to make sure they were still facing the kingsmould, and not a moment too soon. The construct had regained its weapon, and it swung at Hollow, only for the vessel to block the strike. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Then Ghost was on the scene, slicing savagely at the kingsmould while its attention was on their flying sibling. Their nail cut easily through armor and void, trailing black streaks, and they backed off just in time to avoid the next confused swipe as the kingsmould struggled. Hollow was there, taking advantage of the opening to drive their nail into the kingsmould’s back. The construct stiffened, then slid limply off their nail. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hollow let their weapon vanish in a burst of light. They turned towards the entrance of the White Palace and entered. The great entrance hall was just as they remembered, with the king’s retainers scurrying this way and that, most of whom seemed shocked to see Hollow. They scattered when the tall vessel started in the direction of the throne room, where the Pale King would most likely be. The Knight could feel the familiar burn of anger inside of themself, augmented by the Radiance’s heat. The orange haze they had experienced in the Temple fell over their vision, but they could see through it this time, and it did not stop them from continuing towards the throne room. They could hear the pattering steps of their sibling behind them, following as Hollow entered the first buzzsaw-laden hallway. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hollow paused, remembering the rhythm of the saws as they whirred around them. Then, without a single misstep, they traversed the entire hallway. It was somewhat difficult with all the growth they’d gone through. When they got to any particularly impassible bit, they simply waited for their smaller sibling, following nimbly on their heels, picked them up and void-teleported past the difficult area. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The two vessels made it to the throne room in record time. Hollow and Ghost quickly and easily killed the two kingsmoulds at the entrance to the room, and then they walked in, Hollow with a murderous, orange look in their eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-----</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“My King! Please wake up! Your Highness? Wake up!” The Pale King awoke slowly. As he lifted his head, a spike of pain traced a blazing streak from his crown to his jaw. He ignored the pain, instead turning his attention to the veritable crowd of his retainers that surrounded him. They hung on him, tugging his robes and wings, tapping his crown, and nervously looking at the door to the room. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What is it? Why do you disturb our rest?” He pushed himself upright, quickly divesting himself of many of the retainers that were pulling on his robes. They stopped pressing up against him, and a confused babble of talk erupted from the retainers. “They’re coming--Wings!--look infected--smaller one, not sure--” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Stop!” the Pale King commanded. He pointed out the most calm-looking bug out of the crowd. “You. Tell us what has happened.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sire, t-the Hollow Knight is here,” they stuttered. “And they seem t-to have, uh, </span>
  <em>
    <span>wings</span>
  </em>
  <span> now, and, um…” They stopped and stared at the King. “T-they look, um, i-infected, s-sire.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>What!</span>
  </em>
  <span> The King stared at his retainers in shock. He quickly recovered and asked, “Where are they now?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As sudden echoes of the sound of battle rang through the entrance, a retainer said, “Right outside the d-door, sire.” </span>
</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>heheheheh cliffhanger I'm sorry not sorry</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Confrontation</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Hollow and Radiance confront the Pale King.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>It's here, the moment I've built up for two chapters! Hope you like it!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Hollow stepped over the bodies of the slain kingsmoulds into the throne room. They saw there retainers stationed around the walls, but their attention was centered on the figure in the center of the room in front of the throne. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Pale King stood tall, though his shell was cracked from the edge of his crown to his neck. Another lance of pain traced the crack as a smaller vessel entered the room after their older sibling. For some reason they seemed familiar to him, though he couldn’t figure out why. The Pale King ignored it, turning his attention to the vessel that loomed over him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They no longer let their head hang low, which the King had always attributed to the weight of their horns. Instead, the vessel stood erect, the holes in their mask suffused with burning orange. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Welcome, my… Pure Vessel,” the Pale King said, not expecting the vessel to reply. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hollow didn’t answer, just tipped their head to one side, as if they were questioning. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You have changed much since we last saw you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>No response.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why are you here?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Pale King was suddenly in the air, his tail hanging down as the Hollow Knight’s one hand tightened around his throat. His hands instinctively raised, gripping Hollow’s arm, trying desperately to loose the constricting grip. The pain ripped down the length of the crack in his shell again as he hissed out an order. “Put… me… </span>
  <em>
    <span>down.</span>
  </em>
  <span>” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>To his surprise, the Knight actually did. If they were totally consumed by the Radiance, they wouldn’t be able to do that. She wanted him dead, he knew that, massaging his throat where the vessel’s cold hand had closed on it. He straightened up, noting the anxious faces on his retainers. The Pale King turned back to the vessel. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Knight’s new wings were moving, showing… unrest? Irritability? Whatever it was, it was an emotion, the emotions that the King had tried so hard to remove from the vessels. With a sinking feeling, the Pale King realized that this was why the Infection had continued to spread. The vessel had been faulty. But if they were still somewhat in control of their own faculties, then how…?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Pale King was searching for something to say when the wings moved again, revealing an orange bubble of Infection on their chest that throbbed and pulsed. The King was repulsed by it, but at the same time, he thought, that just maybe… If he removed that, perhaps he could free the Knight? </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The thought process took only a moment, but the Pale King was still trying to stall for time to figure out how he could remove the pustule. He said, knowing that he wouldn’t get an answer, “Why have you come here, vessel?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why ask when you already know?” The voice was rough, as if it had been scraped over buzzsaws before coming out, but it was overlaid with a voice that the Pale King knew all too well. It was </span>
  <em>
    <span>her.</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Radiance,” he breathed, feeling another spike of pain along the crack in his shell. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“THE ONE AND ONLY,” she responded, her voice dripping malice, but without the raspy overlay.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I can only assume you wish to kill us,” he said, feeling a cold shiver run down his back. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“YOU ASSUME CORRECTLY.” Hollow tipped their head to one side. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“but i am in control of myself, and i have realized that without you, the kingdom’s intelligence may fail. and there are still those who think you king, </span>
  </em>
  <span>father.” The final word was delivered with a weight of anger behind it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Pale King stared at the vessel, his no longer, that stood in full control of themself and the goddess within. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You were never truly hollow,” he realized. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“what an interesting observation. </span>
  </em>
  <span>We realized that very quickly. </span>
  <em>
    <span>radiance helped me realize just how terrible of a father you truly were. i started learning that when i lost my arm.”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Hollow’s voice sounded like glass against stone. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Pale King’s mind was racing as he moved closer to the vessel. "Tell me, why would we be a bad father? We had to save our kingdom."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"YOU RELINQUISHED YOUR RIGHT TO RULE THIS KINGDOM WHEN YOU KILLED MY WORSHIPPERS," Radiance hissed. </span>
  <em>
    <span>"and when you threw away your own children," </span>
  </em>
  <span>Hollow said. </span>
  <em>
    <span>"aside from the fact that it is not your kingdom any longer." </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Pale King paused in his slow advance. "What do you mean?" </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>In response, the Little Ghost stepped forward from the out-of-the-way spot along the wall they had occupied. They cocked their head and hummed a low note before their little claws reached up and unclasped their ragged cloak. They let the garment fall to the ground, revealing their tiny body, and turned around so that the gray scar of the King's Brand showed clearly on their back. Then they picked up their cloak and put it back on, their black eyes boring into the Pale King. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We had not realized that our brand was available for any bug to pick up,” the King said, a cold note in his voice.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>This time Hollow was the one who moved closer. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“my sibling is not just ‘any bug.’ they are ghost.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The low humming from Ghost formed into words. </span>
  <b>
    <em>Iam Knight, perpetuatorof EndlessSong, sibling to DeepnestPrincess andHollowKnight, survivor thousandbattles.</em>
  </b>
  <span> They stared up at the Pale King, the thrumming becoming deep and dangerous. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The King ignored this obvious threat and turned back to the Hollow Knight. “You’ve been corrupted by the Radiance, haven’t you? We can hear her influence in everything you say.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hollow took a half-step back, realizing just how close together they were, but not fast enough to stop the Pale King’s cold hand from grabbing the pulsing bubble that was on their chest and </span>
  <em>
    <span>pulling.</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hollow and Radiance screamed in unison as a burst of pain from the King’s Pale Light shot through them. Hollow twisted away, their wings flaring out as they summoned a naillance from essence and slashed at the King. The long, deep cut they inflicted leaked soul like blood, the whiteness flowing up his arm and pooling before dripping upwards and away, dissolving into the air. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Pale King stared at his arm in shock, then at the tall vessel, half-crouched in a ready stance, their weapon held tightly and ready to attack again. Black and orange drops seeped down from the scratches in and around the pustule. The Knight’s chest heaved, their wings fluttering with each breath. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“if you </span>
  </em>
  <span>touch</span>
  <em>
    <span> me or radiance again, I will do more than just defend us,” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Hollow snarled, their voice grating with pure malice. “I WILL SEAL YOU HERE, WYRM, AND YOU WILL NOT ESCAPE THIS PALACE OF DREAMS UNLESS I AM DEAD,” Radiance said with a dreadful finality. “You will be trapped here, even as we were trapped in the Black Egg. We will not allow you to leave.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You cannot do that,” The King said. The cut in his arm was already sealing over as his eyes narrowed at Hollow. “You do not have the power.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I HAVE THE POWER,” Radiance said. “I AM THE GODDESS OF DREAMS, AND BECAUSE THERE ARE THOSE THAT REMEMBER ME, I HAVE FAR MORE POWER THAN </span>
  <em>
    <span>YOU,</span>
  </em>
  <span> WYRM. THE VOID IS NOT OPPOSED TO ME.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p><b><em>Siblingsapprove,</em></b> <span>Ghost hummed quietly. </span></p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With that, the tiny vessel raised their dreamnail, cutting their way out of the dream. Hollow straightened up, not releasing their weapon, and also vanished in a burst of essence. When the King made an attempt to release himself from the Dream, he found a barrier keeping him inside, and even more, he found that he didn’t have the strength to disable it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The echoes of Radiance’s voice rang through the throne room. “BE GLAD, WYRM, THAT YOU STILL HAVE THE ENTIRETY OF THE PALACE. You were not so kind with us. </span>
  <em>
    <span>be glad, </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>father</em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>, that we did not chain you and seal you within a single room… and perhaps, with the endless time you now have, you will begin to understand what you did to me… to </span>
  </em>
  <span>us, </span>
  <em>
    <span>and to the siblings.”</span>
  </em>
  
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>There's no argument on my part that PK probably deserved worse but hey <br/>The kingdom is still kinda under his influence so<br/>Getting the sealing treatment is ironic tho and appropriate</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. A New Future</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Denouement!</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>prep for some feels y'all i made a friend cry with this chapter</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Hollow appeared in a burst of light outside of the White Palace’s ruins. They promptly sank to the ground, their single arm seeking out the bubble on their chest. There were freezing droplets of void leaking up from around it, soaking into the fluff around their neck, and hot drips falling to the ground as the infection leaked out. Their smaller sibling was there, concern visible in the way they held themself and patted Hollow’s shoulder.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We’re just tired, small one,” they rasped, voices soft. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>HotSprings,</em>
  </b>
  <span> Ghost said.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No,” Hollow and Radiance said simultaneously. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ghost’s tiny arms folded across their equally diminutive chest. </span>
  <b>
    <em>HotSprings.</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>HealingSoul.</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We don’t need it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Yes. RadianceHollow goto HotSprings.</em>
  </b>
  
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They argued back and forth, but eventually Hollow’s exhaustion and Ghost’s insistence culminated in the smaller vessel dragging them to the closest Stag Station (very close), and then to the nearest hot spring (in the Pleasure House). There was another bug there who took one look at Ghost and began trembling, but when she saw their other sibling stumbling into the room, she squeaked and bolted. Hollow and Ghost let her go.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hollow slowly sank into the spring. It was almost too shallow for them to comfortably sit, but they found a deeper spot and settled in, leaving their wings out of the water. That only did so much good, since the air was so humid there was very little difference between simply being in the chamber to being in the water. They let their head slump down onto their chest, noticing that their sibling seemed to prefer sitting on the bench nearby. After only a few minutes, the slump of Ghost’s head and shoulders announced that they were asleep. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>THANK YOU,</span>
  </em>
  <span> Radiance said quietly, without preamble.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>what for? </span>
  </em>
  <span>Hollow asked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>DEFENDING ME.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>we are...more than just one person. i don’t know what i would do without you now, after so much time together.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>...BUT STILL, YOU COULD HAVE LET HIM DESTROY ME.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>i could no more have allowed that than i could have allowed him to reseal us within the black egg. you understand me better now than anyone else, radiance...i don’t want...i don’t want you gone...anymore than i want the pale king for a father. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The goddess of light could feel how difficult it was for Hollow to admit that, and even more, she could sense that it was true. She began to feel warm affection for the vessel, more deeply than she had known for them before. She knew, also that it was the start of love, love for this poor, tattered, misused child that she’d been forced to learn about.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>PERHAPS, </span>
  </em>
  <span>she struggled with her words, for the first time she could recall, </span>
  <em>
    <span>PERHAPS IF YOU NO LONGER WANT THE PALE KING FOR A FATHER...THEN...YOU COULD HAVE THE OLD LIGHT FOR A MOTHER.</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was such a long silence from Hollow, she began to regret her words, uncertainty coming over. How did she know that they would want any parent with the terrible father they’d had? Perhaps she could only be called a friend, an acquaintance, a nuisance that had been forced into their head and would not come out again….?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>i...i think that i would like that. </span>
  </em>
  <span>The soft words cut through her worries more effectively than any noise or assurance could have. </span>
  <em>
    <span>i never had a proper mother...the white lady was never allowed to be near me after...after i was selected...chosen to...seal you…</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Instead of responding with words or thoughts, Radiance simply allowed the new glow she could feel for Hollow to shine through her, warming them more than the hot springs they rested in. The springs had already done some work, easing the pain they could feel in their chest from the wound the Pale King had inflicted. It was as if his influence on them was already fading, and the two basked in the opportunity of a future not constrained to wars and sealings and pain and sickness. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was a sudden splash as Ghost plopped into the water in front of Hollow and splashed water at them. As the taller vessel retaliated with a sweep of their arm, raising a wave of water that bowled their smaller sibling over into the shallows, they realized that it was a future that they would have with their family. Their </span>
  <em>
    <span>whole </span>
  </em>
  <span>family. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So, there you are! This is the end of my little Radi!Hollow fic, and I hope you guys really enjoyed reading it! As I've noted in some previous comments, the entire premise for this fic was "What if Hollow had wings?" and that quickly escalated into me going wild with something I felt I could share on the internet.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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